Within an hour after he landed here, Murphy and his wife, Tammy Murphy, had a private lunch with Rossello at the governor's official residence, La Fortaleza, a sixteenth century structure that's half palace and half fortress and is perched along the coast.

They talked behind closed doors for more than an hour.

Murphy, a Democrat, said they discussed the hurricane recovery and the need to lobby federal lawmakers for relief aid, as well as another issue Murphy has been fighting back home: A federal Republican tax plan Murphy said would disproportionately hurt a handful of high-tax states like New Jersey.

The plan that's making its way through Congress will further harm Puerto Rico's recovery, both governors agreed.